Friends Forever
by StevenRogers1920
Summary: Steve misses his best friend Bucky, who is off on a mission in Russia.
1. Chapter 1

"I still don't like you running off to Russia by yourself."

"I won't be by myself, Steve. I'll be with two other agents," Bucky continues tossing unfolded clothes into a duffle bag.

Steve sighs as he removes the clothes, folds them, and puts them back more neatly. "Yeah but, it's just that I spent months trying to find you and now that I have, I hardly see you. You go to Brazil, Spain, and now Russia!"

"It was Belize, not Brazil. Did I pack a toothbrush?" he rummages through his bag and then zips it up, satisfied. He turns to smile at Steve but finds that he's sitting on the edge of the bed with his head down. "What is it, Stevie? This is no different than any other mission I've been on."

"Sure."

"Are you going to sit there and sulk or are you going to walk me to the door and say goodbye?" Bucky shoulders his bag and puts his hand on his hip.

Steve sighs and stands, "Come on, you'll be late," he smiles and grabs his friend on the shoulder, steering him towards to door. They walk down to the landing pad where a helicopter is waiting to fly The Winter Soldier and two high-level S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to northern Russia where they must resolve a case.

"Bye, Steven," Bucky says when he reaches the helicopter's open door, "I know you'll miss me!" he grins and gives him a hug.

"Make sure your phone is charged. I'll be calling you later, I know you don't start working until the morning. I've done this too you know," Steve waves and then the helicopter is gone.


	2. Chapter 2

later that evening 8:00pm. NY (8am R)

"Answer your phone, ya punk," Steve mumbles as he listens to the ringing for a second time. When it is almost finished, and Steve is about to hang up in annoyance, Bucky answers.

"Hey," says a strained voice.

"There you are, I thought you were going to ignore me today."

"Hmmm," Bucky grumbles, "I just woke up."

"What time did you get there? What time is it now?" Steve fiddles with a small black recorder. He turns it on then puts his phone on speaker, setting them down beside each other on his desk.

"I don't know what time we arrived. It's 8am now. What time is it there?"

"8pm. So, there's a 12-hour difference. Seen anything interesting yet?" Steve glances towards his shut door, he can hear the others getting back to the tower.

"Well," Bucky yawns, "it's cold and snowy. I'm kinda used to the weather here but those agents, what are their names? Hold up," there is a rustling of papers as Bucky looks through his file, "Agents 47 and 29. Adams and Chandler are practically ice cubes, no offense."

"Har har, none taken," Steve rolls his eyes.

"They were all bundled up in blankets, coats, parkas, scarves, hats, gloves, fur boots. I don't think they'll do great undercover. I wish I could've picked my partners and not just been assigned the next man on the list. I have to wear a sleeve over my left arm so that it looks normal even though I'll be wearing a coat and possibly gloves, and it won't hardly be seen. We are staying in a hotel in a pretty good-sized city. Across the street is a convenience store but the guy behind the counter is kinda shady. I think he may be part of the problem. I will be keeping a close eye on him. Adams almost got herself arrested, but I guess I'm still intimidating. Especially spouting angry Russian. Would you believe that these two know hardly any Russian? What kind of spies are they?" There is a pause and Steve sits silently waiting for Bucky to continue. "I hope this cold weather will freeze Chandler's tongue. He talked non-stop all the way here. I think I'm going to have to change up the original plan. I'll let Adams pair up with Chandler, he at least knows conversational Russian, and I'll watch for our suspect."

Steve can hear the tv turn on in the background and some muffled voices. Bucky's voice becomes quieter, like he turned away from his phone, "What are you doing?" There's a reply. "Not a horrible idea but we need to head out in about 15 mins and I don't think you'll survive dressed like that... Yes. It's always that cold." There is some shuffling and Bucky's voice becomes louder again, "Sorry about that. I really need to get my stuff together for today. Maybe we can talk tomorrow?"

"Sure. Just remember the time difference."

"Got it. 12 hours. Well, catch ya later Stevie."

"Bye Bucky." With that Steve hangs up and switches off his recorder. He stands and heads to the kitchen to see what was brought back for dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

kitchen to see what was brought back for dinner.

two days later 6pm Russia (6:00am NY)

"Make sure you have those handcuffs tight." Bucky peers out the shop door looking for the owner's partner. He hears the click of the handcuffs locking and turns back see Chandler positioning the shop owner to look like he'd simply fallen asleep, hands under a throw blanket to hide the handcuffs.

"Now what?" Adams asks.

"Now we wait for his partner to come pick up the drug. Did you secure it?" Bucky asks.

"I've got it locked in the case we were given and in my backpack."

"Um... Does the man we are waiting for have a long beard and wear a blue poncho type thing? Because he's at the door," Chandler asks. Bucky motions to them and Chandler heads down an isle and Adams slips out the back door to wait in the car like they'd discussed. Bucky smooths the apron he taken from the back and begins stocking shelves, never taking his eye off the new comer. After a few moments Bucky turns to the man and asks, in Russian, "May I help you find something, sir?"

"You must be new here," the man replies as he steps to the counter, behind which the unconscious owner is slumped. "I'm here to get a package from Vincent."

"He asked me not to wake him. If you give me your name I can retrieve the package for you." The last test. If this is truly the man they are after his name will match...

"My name is Radcliffe Vaughn. The box you are looking for is small and should have a blue stamp with the image of a stinging insect."

Bucky nods and starts towards the back room he stops right beside the man and says, "It's a pleasure to see you again Vaughn, under different circumstances I might even say I was surprised." Vaughn's eyes grow wide with recognition right as Chandler hits him in the neck with the same specialized pocket taser that they'd used on the shop owner.

"Good job," Bucky grins at Chandler as he hoists Vaughn back to his feet. "You get him, and I'll get Vincent here." They half carry half drag the men to the back door where a car is waiting. They push their prisoners into the trunk and slide into the backseat.

Adams turns and smiles at the boys, "Good work."

"Just drive," Chandler groans.


	4. Chapter 4

8am NY (8pm R)

"Who's is this?" Clint asks, holding up Steve's ringing phone.

"Mine," Steve hops up from eating breakfast and takes the phone from Clint. He checks the caller ID, even though he already knows who it is. "Thanks," he answers the call and says "Hi. Hold on one minute." He shuts his door, sits down at his desk, and places the phone on speaker beside his little black recorder. "Hey, sorry about that. How's it going, Bucky?"

"Pretty good actually. We've secured the drug and taken the two men hostage. QJ 83 is here to bring us home so I can't talk long. I just wanted to let you know that I'm on my way back: safe and sound."

"I'm glad to hear that. Can't wait to see you and hear all about it."

"I've gotta go now."

"Okay. Be careful and stay safe."

"You got it. Pilot needs some intel before we take off. See you soon old chap!"

"Who are you calling old?!"

Bucky chuckles "Bye Steve," and hangs up.


	5. Chapter 5

10:30 pm NY (10:30 am R)

"Has anyone heard anything about Quinn Jet 83? Bucky and his team should be back by now." When Steve sees that no one knows anything, he heads down the stairs to the Air Communications office. He asks the lady at the desk and she gets a sorrowful expression.

"I'm sorry Captain, but information on that jet is currently classified."

"My best friend left Russia on that jet this morning. Please, is there nothing you can tell me?"

"Sir, I can check with the director, but we were told to keep that intel sealed until further notice." Steve nods as she dials a number on her desk phone. "Director? Yes... Captain America is here asking about QJ 83. What should I... I see. Are you sure?... alright. I'll tell him." She hangs up the phone and looks up at Steve. "The director would like to see you in his office."

Steve's stomach starts to flip-flop as he climbs the last few steps. His body goes numb as he opens the door, bracing for whatever he is about to hear. "Director?"

"Sit down Captain." Steve sits. "I'm afraid you won't like what you are about to hear. We lost contact with the jet about 8 hours ago and have sent out a team of 12 agents to track the jet from where we last saw it. So far as we've heard, they've found nothing. We are preparing a second team right now. We lost contact with the first team about an hour ago."

"Please sir, let me help. My best friend was on that jet. I can't just sit here and wait for bad news to come."


	6. Chapter 6

earlier ~ 2:15 am - QJ in Russian air space (2:15pm NY)

"I think that's everything. Are we ready to go?" Bucky asks the pilot after the complete engine check and securing the two prisoners in cells opposite each other. They were both awake now and Vincent had had to be gaged after only 20 minutes of listening to his angry Russian swearing.

"I believe so." The pilot closes off all the doors and clicks on the speaker, "Please sit down and fasten your seatbelt while we are lifting off."

Bucky sits in the seat behind the pilot while they take to the air. Once they are steady, he says, "Where are these men going to be detained?"

"That's a question for..." the jets floor rumbles.

"That's not normal is it?"

"Not at all."

"I'll go check it out," Bucky stands and heads back to where the others were seated. They are standing now and heading towards the cells. "What happened?"

"One of the prisoners got free of the handcuffs," Chandler fills him in.

"We checked the restraints three times at least, how'd he manage it?"

"He had some sort of hidden weapon in his pocket. We need to get in there, but he's locked the door from the inside," Chandler turns and points to the video surveillance screen, "Whatever he's doing, it's not good. We need to land the jet."

Adams nods, "I'll go tell the pilot what's going on and that we need to land in order to properly and safely re-secure the men."

Bucky heads to the door separating them from the cells. He tries to pry the door open, but it won't budge. As soon as he places his left arm on the door, it sticks. Though it looks like a normal arm, it's still metal. "It's as if there is a huge magnet on the other side. I'm stuck here now. This is just great."

They feel the floor shift as the jet starts to descend. "Maybe we could gas the men and put them to sleep." Chandler suggests, "If they are unconscious they can't do whatever they have planned. Maybe however they are causing the magnetic force will stop too."

"It's worth a shot," Bucky grimaces as he tries in vain to pull his arm free.

Chandler steps over to the control panel and presses a button. They turn to watch the screen as a yellowish gas, meant to put the prisoners to sleep, is sprayed from the ceiling. The chemical substance reaches the men, who have had their backs turned while struggling with something that Chandler and Bucky can't see on the video. They look up and grin.

"That wasn't quite the reaction I expected," Bucky observes.

The gas envelopes the men. As they slump to the ground Bucky and Chandler can see a blue steam rising from a bottle Vaughn is holding. "That doesn't seem good...," Chandler leans closer to the screen to get a better look at what is going on.

It was at the moment the gases collided that sparks began to fly. Bucky realizes that he's in deeper trouble than he'd thought. He starts to furiously pull on his arm in an attempt to remove it from the door. He realizes that he is stuck, but Chandler isn't, "Chandler! Get to the front of the jet! It's going to explode!"

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me!"

"But Agent Barnes..."

"I said go!"

Chandler turns and begins to run towards front of the jet. The seconds that follow feel like a life time. Bucky curls against the door and covers his head, waiting for the impact.


	7. Chapter 7

7:45am - search parties in Russia (7:45pm NY)

"We lost communications as soon as we got within 20 miles of where we last saw Quinn Jet 83. We have been searching for any sign of it since, but haven't found anything," Agent Horton, who was with the first team sent out, relays.

"Our communications are down as well," the pilot from the second team says.

"Where haven't you checked?" Steve asks, eager to start looking for his friend. "I want to find that jet as quickly as possible. My best friend was on there. But I know it won't do him, or anyone else, any good if I just go rushing off."

"Well," Horton thinks for a moment, "We've looked everywhere from above. All that we can figure is that they crashed and slid under an out cropping. I don't know if we'll be able to find anything in the dark. It looks like it's going to snow."

"Let it snow. I'm going to look over there," Steve gestures towards a bunch of jagged rocks situated before a cliff. He heads off in that direction not knowing what to expect. He keeps telling himself that everyone's fine and he'll find them stuck but with only minor injuries.


	8. Chapter 8

9am Russia (9pm NY)

"I found it!" one of the agents calls. "Over here!"

Steve rushes towards the sound and looks down upon the jet that is barely recognizable, torn and burned as it was. "No," he whispers. He scrambles down the face of the cliff and into the gully along with everyone else. As he gets closer he can see that an entire side of the jet had been blown off. He starts to push his way in but a hand on his arm stops him.

He turns to see Agent Horton, "Captain, we need your help at the front. The agents are trapped in the cockpit and we need your help to lift the tree holding the door shut and blocking the windows."

"They're alive?" Steve asks, face growing hopeful.

"We don't know who or how many but yes, they are alive."

Steve helps the strongest of the men lift the tree enough for some of the other agents to break through and pull those who were trapped out of the jet. They lower the tree as soon as everyone is out of the way. Steve rushes over, "Are you alright?"

Agent Adams grimaces, "I think I broke my... ah, my ribs..." she holds her arms tightly around her middle. Agent Horton leads her to a large rock to sit down while a doctor brings her things down the cliff.

Steve turns to the other two, "Are you two okay?"

The pilot is covered with scratches from broken glass. She holds up her arm where Steve can see glass deep under her skin. "I, I can't..." she shakes her head. Steve can tell her voice is almost gone, probably from yelling for help. An agent comes over and leads her off to the doctor.

Steve then turns to look at Agent Chandler. "I'm alright," he says, "just a bit bruised. I was farther back and protected from the worst of it."

"What happened?" Steve asks. He looks around, trying to see Bucky somewhere safe.

"Our prisoners; they somehow escaped for their bonds. We tried to sedate them, but they were creating some kind of magnetic force and they had a bottle - I don't know what was in it. When it mixed with the sedation gas we'd released ... kaboom. Agent Barnes..." Chandler now has Steve's full attention. "His arm stuck to the door because of the magnetic force. He told me to get to the front. I left him. I... don't know if he made it. He was the closest one to the explosion," he looks back toward the gaping hole in the side of the jet. "The prisoners are probably dead now. The drug we recovered should be sa.."

Steve had stopped listening. He turns Chandler towards the doctor, "Get yourself looked at so we are sure you're alright." Steve then turns back to where the side had been blown out of the plane. He rushes in, pulling and shoving ruble out of his way. "Bucky? Bucky!"

There's no answer. Steve doesn't know what he will find beyond the door. He only knows that he has to lift it. He pulls and pushes using every ounce of his strength. After many efforts he is finally able to move the broken door; the door Bucky had been stuck to; the door the is keeping him from his friend; the door that...

"Bucky?" Steve whispers. His worst nightmare is laying here before him. Bucky, hair burned off, metal arm singed, clothes melted to him, and skin blacked with burns. "No," Steve gasps. He feels sick. He can't move. The next thing he knows he's on the ground sobbing beside his friend's broken body. "You were supposed to come home! You were supposed to be okay! You said you'd be safe!" Steve stays there until someone, he doesn't know who, pulls him away. He doesn't want to leave Bucky but he's too weak to fight back.

They take him away from the fallen jet. He can see only Bucky's burned being. He doesn't hear the consoling words of those around him or see the tears on the faces of the others who'd been in the jet. He hurts. His stomach churns with guilt and sorrow. He collapses at the bottom of the cliff and vomits until his stomach is empty.

Empty. His entire being is empty. He'd lost Bucky once before. He'd seen him fall. He'd dreamed it over and over. If only he could have reached farther and faster... this is different. There is nothing he could've done. And to see him there, broken and burned... he will never see him again. They will never play another game, Bucky won't steal his food or take a hundred pictures to fill up his phone. He lost his best friend.

Steve must have stood. They must have guided him back to the jet he came on. They must have taken off and flown the distance back to New York. They must have, he knows, but he doesn't remember any of it.


	9. Chapter 9

3pm NY 4 months later

There's a knock on his door. Steve rolls over and presses pause on his recorder. He'd listened to the phone conversations over and over to hear Bucky say 'I'm on my way... I miss you... I'll be home soon... don't worry about me, Stevie, I'm fine'. He sits up as Clint walks in the room carrying a plate of food.

"You have to eat something, Steve. You can't starve yourself."

"I'm not hungry." Steve runs a hand through his messy hair. His stomach growls at the sight of food. Clint offers him the plate. "I don't want it!"

"Steven. I know you just lost your best friend, but do you think this is what he'd want?" He sets the plate on his desk, "You can't hide away forever. We are all here to help you get through this."

"I don't want help. I want to be left alone."

"Steve, we have left you alone for weeks. You've kept yourself locked in here ever since the funeral. I know it's hard, but life must go on."

"I can't go on. My world is over, Clint! I'm done. Done fighting. Done being strong. I can't be the man I was before." Steve shifts and Clint sits down beside him.

"No one expects you to be the same. We don't even expect you to be okay. I'd be even more worried if this didn't bother you. You are human after all; this sort of thing happens - especially in our line of work. Bucky died a hero. Think of all the people he saved."

"I don't want to think. I don't want to feel. How do I make it stop? I want this pain to go away but again, I don't. I don't want to go on living a normal life."

Clint places a hand on Steve's shoulder, "You have to keep going. Don't give up on living. What do you think Bucky would say to you if he saw you right now? Hmm?"

"He'd say... he'd say... 'Get out of bed Stevie and eat something. Don't you die on me now...' Oh Clint!" Steve leans over and drapes his arms around Clint who hugs him tightly.

"I know, I know. It's gonna be okay. It'll be alright. We'll help you get through this."

Steve pulls back and offers Clint a shaky smile, "I think I'll come out and eat with you. That's what Bucky would want me to do. He loved eating dinner with everyone and playing games afterwards. So that's what I'll do. But, I can't forget him. I loved him more than any other friend I've ever known. He was the first friend I had."

"Never forget Steve. But smile at the memories."


	10. Chapter 10

(8 months later) 3:30pm NY

"Where are you going?" Natasha asks as Steve grabs his keys and heads to the stairs.

"I'm just going out in town for a bit."

"Well, be sure to get back in time for dinner. It is for your birthday after all."

"I know. I won't forget."


	11. Chapter 11

4:00pm NY

Steve sits down on a bench watching people enjoy their time at Coney Island while he enjoys an ice cream cone. He pulls out his sketchbook and flips through the pages. He stops and looks at a picture he'd drawn of Bucky and him eating ice cream together to celebrate last year's birthday. He smiles sadly and closes the book. He gently places it back in his backpack and stands.

"I guess I'd better get back for dinner." He rubs the keychain Bucky had given him a little over a year ago. It is rose gold and in the shape of a pineapple. When he'd given it to him, Bucky had laughed and said, "Be like a pineapple, Steve." When Steve asked what he meant he said, "Remember to always be bright, be sweet inside, stand tall, and walk like you wear a crown."


	12. Chapter 12

9pm NY

"Dinner was great guys! Thanks," Steve stands to follow everyone out onto the roof.

"You know," Tony says as he sits down, "it's almost like these fireworks are for you. I'm kinda jealous. I think the country should set off fireworks in my honor."

Steve chuckles, "Well, it's always a perfect end to my birthday."

The fireworks pop and bang covering the sky in a rainbow of colors. All the Avengers sit on the roof well into the night laughing and joking until the light show stops. By then it can't be called night anymore.

When Steve gets to his room he grabs his recorder. Bucky had been in Spain last year on his birthday. He finds the message and hits play.

 _"Sorry I'm not there with you Stevie."_

 _"It's find Buck," Steve hears himself say, "I know you'd be here is you could."_

 _"You know it. I hope you've had a great day even though I'm not there to help celebrate. I hope you still got ice cream."_

 _"I did."_

 _"Enjoy the fireworks?"_

 _"Yup. Wish you could've seen them. They were even more fantastic than last year's show."_

 _Bucky chuckled, "I've gotta go now. Happy birthday. Love you Stevie."_

 _"Thanks. Enjoy the rest of your trip."_

At that, Steve stops the recording. "I love you too Bucky. You were the best friend I could've ever asked for."


End file.
